There are over 1200 known species of Bembidion. Many of them are hard to tell apart. They are small beetles. Maybe for this reason some taxonomists have struggled with them, and their frustration occasionally is expressed when they name new species. For example, there is “Bembidion confusum“, named by Roland Hayward, and “Bembidion impotens“, named by Thomas L. Casey. In fact, there are least 42 names that have been applied to North American Bembidion that express scorn, deception, uncertainty, and dejection:
Name | Meaning | Author |
Bembidion suspectum | suspect | Blaisdell |
Bembidion falsum | false | Blaisdell |
Bembidion dejectum | dejected | Casey |
Bembidion debiliceps | weak-headed | Casey |
Bembidion perturbatum | troubled | Casey |
Bembidion negligens | negligent | Casey |
Bembidion fugitans | avoiding | Casey |
Bembidion impotens | impotent | Casey |
Bembidion gratuitum | gratuitous | Casey |
Bembidion egens | needy | Casey |
Bembidion indigens | needy | Casey |
Bembidion triviale | trivial | Casey |
Bembidion vapidum | lifeless | Casey |
Bembidion invidiosum | invidious | Casey |
Bembidion obliviosum | absentminded | Casey |
Bembidion impium | wicked | Casey |
Bembidion deceptor | deceiver | Casey |
Bembidion conflictum | conflict | Casey |
Bembidion effetum | exhausted | Casey |
Bembidion oppressum | oppressed | Casey |
Bembidion flebile | mournful | Casey |
Bembidion decrepitum | decrepit | Casey |
Bembidion morosum | morose | Casey |
Bembidion inquietum | restless | Casey |
Bembidion insopitans | sleepless | Casey |
Bembidion sedulum | unremitting | Casey |
Bembidion petulans | impudent | Casey |
Bembidion imperitum | inexperienced, ignorant | Casey |
Bembidion prociduum | prostrate | Casey |
Bembidion derisor | scorner | Casey |
Bembidion decipiens | deceiving | Dejean |
Bembidion fallax | illusive | Dejean |
Bembidion indistinctum | obscure | Dejean |
Bembidion confusum | confused | Hayward |
Bembidion timidum | timid | LeConte |
Bembidion trepidum | scared | LeConte |
Bembidion dubitans | doubting | LeConte |
Bembidion vile | worthless | LeConte |
Bembidion lugubre | mournful | LeConte |
Bembidion litigiosum | contentious | Motschulsky |
Bembidion incertum | uncertain | Motschulsky |
Bembidion contaminatum | contaminated | Sahlberg |
It is clear that Casey had a particularly difficult time with this group – but he kept working on them, so he must have had some fondness for them, too.
The ‘Gratuitous Bemb’? Love it. Looks like Casey was a bit of a hater…